Month: December 2017

“While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7).

I’ve been thinking about Mary. She knew her baby was the Son of God. She knew He was to be called “Jesus” because He would save His people from their sin. She must have planned to make His birth a special time. Maybe she got the best swaddling clothes she could find. I imagine she had planned for the best midwife or perhaps her mother to be with her. Most likely Joseph had built a special crib for Him. She must have thought about this birth and what it would be like. But whatever her plans were they were changed.

God’s plan didn’t change. God had said through the prophets hundreds of years before the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Mary and Joseph were the means of carrying out his plan. Jesus’ birth happened at just the right time and in the right place.

My family had planned to spend Christmas on the farm this year, but that isn’t happening.  We’ll actually celebrate Christmas before the 25^th and we’ll do it in TN. Our plans changed. I felt like having a pity party and did, for a few minutes. But the reason for the change of plans was the difficulties being experienced by the TN family. I had to remember that the situation wasn’t about me. I had to move on with the next plan.

God never promised our plans wouldn’t change. He did promise to always be with us through whatever situations or plan changes we have in our lives. God’s timing is always right. I have to trust Him to work through me as He did through Mary and Joseph.

“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6).

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel—which means, ‘God with us’(Matthew 1:23).

I think I’m losing my mind or maybe I’ve already lost it. Maybe I’m not even aware it’s gone.   This is how the morning went a few days ago. I had breakfast and was starting my Bible reading and prayer time when I remembered I had begun to put in a load of laundry. I hadn’t finished because I remembered I wanted to include the place mats from the dining table.  So before I took the place mats to be washed I went to the closet for another set of place mats for the table.  That’s when I sat down with my Bible and started reading. My mind drifted back to the unfinished loading of the washer so I went back to add the place mats, put in detergent and turned on the washer.

If you’re confused by that paragraph it’s alright because it’s another clue that my mind is going. I finally went back to complete my Bible reading and prayer time.  I wondered if God understood my mindless state. Does He understand how easily I am distracted?  I’m pretty sure He does.

This time of year is hard for me. Christmas always brings to mind so many memories from years past. For me, the memories are painful because the one with whom I made those memories is missing.  I guess that’s part of the reason for my distracted state of mind.

I don’t want you, my reader, to have completely wasted your time so these next sentences come from something I wrote a few years ago. I pray they will encourage you as you work through your busyness this time of year.

God came down to show us love.

God came down and walked to the cross.

God came down providing a way for us to escape this world.

God will come one again. Are you ready?

Making preparations for the celebration of the Birth of Jesus has made me think about the preparations we must be making for His coming again. My life is very busy, but I wonder how much of my ‘busyness’ is important for eternity. Making sweets for family and friends is good, but showing a ‘sweet’ attitude and ‘sweet’ deeds toward others is eternal. Decorating the house is good, but decorating my life with the fruit of the Spirit is eternal. Wrapping gifts for others is good, but unwrapping my life and presenting it fully to the Lord is eternal. I want to make my life full of preparations for His second coming!